Gluten-Free Tuesday: Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

• 1 pound (93 percent) lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, minced or put through a garlic press
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons plain gluten-free dried breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 stalks celery, trimmed and cut into thin pieces (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a garlic press
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups homemade chicken stock or reduced sodium gluten-free chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 5 ounces baby spinach, washed
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 2 cups uncooked gluten-free bite-sized pasta shells

1. Spray a baking sheet lightly with non-stick cooking spray. In a medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, Parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, and black pepper. Using your hands, or a wooden spoon, mix beef until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Add egg and bread crumbs. Mix until combined.
2. Pinch off about two teaspoons of meatball mixture and roll into balls. Place meatballs on greased baking sheet. Set baking sheet aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a large (5 1/2 quart) pot over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking. Add carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until carrots begin to soften, about three minutes. Add celery, onions, garlic and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about two minutes.
4. Add chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Once the soup reaches a boil, add meatballs, one at a time. After you've added half the meatballs, stir soup gently with a wooden spoon. Add remaining meatballs and stir. Allow to cook for five minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer (look for occasional gentle bubbles) for about 20 minutes.
5. While soup simmers, cook pasta. Fill a medium (4 quart) pot 3/4 full with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When water reaches a boil, add 2 teaspoons of salt and pasta. Stir pasta with a wooden spoon for a few seconds to keep it from sticking. Cook pasta until just al dente. Drain pasta and add to soup.
6. Add baby spinach. Stir soup with a wooden spoon. Cook until spinach is wilted and tender, about three minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

percent, parmesan cheese, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, freshly ground black pepper, breadcrumbs, egg, olive oil, carrots, stalks celery, onion, garlic, salt, chicken, water, baby spinach, cooking spray, pasta shells

Taken from www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/01/gluten-free-tuesday-italian-wedding-soup.html (may not work)